Community Update

Negotiations
for Teachers contract

by Joaquin Soares,

member of Stoughton School Committee and Negotiation
Team

Chronology of
Events

1.    
The Mass wage act
was enacted to protect employees from unscrupulous employers who would
unlawfully withhold wage payments. Also we may be ordered to pay  triple damages plus attorney fees and
litigation costs. In addition any public officer whose duty it is to pay wages
may be held individually liable for any failure to pay wages. M.G.L. c. 149 s.
148.

2.    
John Anzivino’s
letter ( passed Selectman ) to Town Meeting Representatives dated May 20th
2013 stated “It is also our intent to do away with the past practice of
granting step increases as well as Cost of living increases”. Does this sound
like fair negotiations?

3.    
In June, 2013,
the SC members George Dolinsky and Joyce Husseini and Superintendant Rizzi’s
intent was to withhold step increases to teachers in September 2013. Mrs.
Husseini said “ We understand how the labor board may react, but we had to take
that chance” from  snyderstoughton.com
dated June 3rd 2014.

4.    
SC members George
Dolinsky and Joyce Husseini and Superintendant Rizzi knowingly withheld
$450,000 in salary from 176 teachers of the STA.

5.    
January 28th,
2014 negotiation, the STA informed SC negotiation team Mrs. Husseini and Mr.
Dolinsky, Superintendant Dr. Rizzi and Town Managers Representative James Kelly
that they were in violation of the wage act. The STA would only pursue a
lawsuit as a last resort.

6.    
In the middle of
February 2014, the STA decided not to take any action and continue to negotiate
with the assistance of a private mediator Gary Altman.

7.    
On April 8th
an election took place for Selectman and School Committee members and Town
Meeting Members and Town Moderator. Chosen were Selectmen  David Spanky Sousa and Joseph Mokrisky. For SC
chosen were Katie Pina Enokian and Joaquin Soares. The People wanted change.

8.    
The SC new
members stated that DR. Ural would be our New Chairperson when interviewed by
Mr. Joseph Feaster. I said that Dr. Ural was a very intelligent man and still
have the same opinion. He has treated every one with dignity and respect since
he has been in office as chairman no matter how badly he was treated before.
Dr. Ural has a sensitive side and a humorous side. He is a courteous and
trustworthy man. I am proud to work beside him and Katie Pina Enokian.

9.    
On May 27th
there was a SC meeting in the Stoughton High School. Dr. Rizzi was asked the
question, did the lawyer advise you during negotiations to hold the steps or
not to hold the steps because it was illegal.  She stated it was not her decision nor was it
appropriate for her to comment, because that was between the SC members and the
lawyer. If anyone believes that the Superintendant is not involved in the
negotiations they are wrong. Dr. Rizzi is the boss of the Stoughton school
system. Dr. Rizzi was highly involved in our negotiations. I was there.

Present
School Committee member Joyce Husseini was asked the same question, did the
lawyer advise you to hold the steps or not to hold the steps because it was
illegal.   She answered that the lawyer does not tell you
if it is legal or not legal.

 I stated that when you ask a question to the SC
lawyer, the lawyer gives you a direct answer and all laws that pertain. That is
what they are paid for.

10.                       
Mr. Kelly said at
the SC meeting in May 27th. That he was and I quote “ a resource for
the staff”. I thought he was there to represent Town Manager Mike Hartman. Mr.
Kelly was there all through the negotiations of the 14 months with Mrs.
Husseini and Mr. Dolinsky. Why would his role change?

11.                       
Now the dates are
fuzzy. Mr. Kelly initiated and created the 1%,1%,1%,2% COLA with steps. That
was his brain child.  

12.                       
This was refused
by the Stoughton Teachers association and by the Mass Teachers Assoc. Because
it was refused, negotiations started again.

13.                       
 During negotiations James Kelly refused to
help the negotiation team with the top steps.  

It’s not
important what the top steps mean, it is only important that Mr. Kelly refused
to help the team.

14.                       
Mr. Kelly went to
Mr. Hartman to explain the SC team plan of the top steps. Mr. Kelly refused to
help so that Mr. Hartman could intercede and say the town could not afford it.
This is my supposition.

15.                       
This is the part
that doesn’t make sense, if all members were there to help. The SC would not be
in this bind now. If Mr. Kelly had helped the negotiating team resolve the last
part of the negotiation dilemma, Mr. Kelly would have nothing to report to Mr.
Hartman. It would be over.

16.                       
I believe Mr.
Kelly stopped helping to create a problem. The interesting part, no problem
existed for 14 months. How come?

17.                       
The Finance Committee
on June 10th said that Mr. Hartman was a savior for voting in favor
of hindering the contract. They didn’t know that Mr. Kelly in conjunction with
Mr. Hartman stopped helping to negotiate.

18.                       
The Fin Com kept
saying Dr. Ural was the problem. How could Dr. Ural be the problem when Mr.
Kelly refused to help the team negotiate. If he did not understand he only had
to ask. Mr. Kelly is not bashful. We expected something from him.

Conclusion

I believe
2015 is covered. Dr. Rizzi said she would make it work.

2016 could
be a problem. It is possible that some teachers could be laid off. I believe
the STA who found fault with how confusing Dr. Rizzi’s spreadsheets were became
furious. You must negotiate in good faith otherwise trust is an issue.

Bottom Line

And here is
my bottom line. The benefit to the town of Stoughton in having this Teachers
contract settled far out weights the cost to the Town of Stoughton to find a
reasonable wage for the professionals who teach our children and help pave the
way for our future